Rim-disc toy



July 1970 F. BARNES, JR 3,520,

RIM-DISC TOY Filed Aug. 28, 1967 United States Patent 3,520,079 RIM-DISC TOY Floyd Barnes, Jr., 2652 W. Lafayette Ave., Baltimore, Md. 21216 Filed Aug. 28, 1967, Ser. No. 664,234 Int. Cl. A63h 1/32 US. Cl. 4647 1 Claim ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The invention relates to toys, and more particularly to toys of a circular design. The object resides in the provision of a toy made of two separate members attached to appear as two unattached members revolving in a substantially circular orbit in a vertical plane.

This invention relates to toys, and more particularly to a toy of circular design.

The primary object of this invention resides in the provision of a toy made of two separate members so constructed and attached as to appear as two unattached members when revolving in a substantially circular orbit in a vertical plane.

Another object of this invention resides in the provision of means to create the illusion that the substantially vertical orbit of one member induces a corresponding orbit of the other member.

Still further objects of the invention reside in the provision of a toy which is strong, durable, highly efiicient in operation, simple in construction, and capable of being inexpensively produced.

For a complete understanding of the present invention, reference is made to the accompanying drawing of which:

FIG. 1 is a vertical front view of the toy.

With continuing reference to the accompanying drawing, the numeral 1 generally designates an outer rim of the toy made of a suitable plastic material, having a disc 2 attached to a portion of the inner surface of outer rim 1, an aperture 3 through the center of disc 2, and a string 4 whose ends are connected and received through aperture 3 in disc 2.

The toy is so constructed that the diameter of disc 2 is substantially equal to one half of the inside diameter of outer rim 1.

When string 4 is held in a substantially vertical position such that the greatest distance between disc 2 and the inner surface of outer rim 1 extends upwardly in relation to disc 2, and the outer rim is held against rotation, the toy is in a state of non-equilibrium.

When outer rim 1 is released, and string 4 is pulled upwards, the toy approaches a state of equilibrium such that the greatest distance between disc 2 and the inner surface of outer rim 1 rotates toward a downwardly extending position relative to disc 2.

If string 4 is lowered while disc 2 and outer rim 1 rotate, the toy approaches a state of non-equilibrium.

3,520,079 Patented July 14, 1970 Continually raising and lowering string 4 at positions of non-equilibrium and equilibrium respectively, causes the toy to assume a continual substantially vertical orbit.

Since the attached portion of the toy is relatively small in relation to the unattached portion, continuous rotation creates the illusion that outer rim 1 and disc 2 are unattached.

Since the distance between disc 2 and outer rim 1 increases from zero to a distance substantially equal to one half of the inside diameter of outer rim 1, continuous rotation creates the illusion that the unattached portions of disc 2 and outer rim 1 continually touch at difierent points throughout rotation. Continuous rotation creates the illusion that the rotation of outer rim 1 is caused by the rotation of disc 2.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A rim-disc toy comprising: a disc; an outer annular rim; a string means provided with connected ends; said disc provided with a central aperture; said string means received through said central aperture of said disc and extendable to a length greater than the maximal distance between said aperture and said outer rim; said disc being of a diameter substantially equal to one half of the inside diameter of said outer rim; said disc attached to inner surface of said outer rim; said attachment forming an eccentric embodiment; said eccentric embodiment r0- tably mounted on the horizontal portion of said string means received through said central aperture of said disc; said eccentric embodiment rotating in a vertical plane in response to up and down movements of said string means; said string means movements causing said disc to trace out a circular path of rotation about a horizontal axis through its center coexisting with the tracing out of an orbit about a horizontal axis through the center of said disc by said outer rim; said string means causing said horizontal axis of rotation of said disc to revolve about a point in space thereby causing said disc to trace out a circular orbit; said circular orbit of said disc and said eccentric orbit of said outer rim coexisting thereof producing the optical illusion that the circular orbit of said disc produces a force that causes said rim to assume an eccentric orbit about said disc causing said rim and said disc to appear as two separate and unattached members.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,798,324 7/1957 Berger et a1. 272-8 2,071,041 2/1937 Maggio 4661 X 2,485,064 10/1949 Paclan 46-47 3,167,881 2/1965 Mazzadra 4647 F. BARRY SHAY, Primary Examiner R. F. CUTTING, Assistant Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 

